The Simpsons gives Aron Ralston, 127 Hours one-armed salute in "Treehouse of Horror"

Colorado's own Aron Ralston may have thought he'd received the ultimate tribute when the movie 127 Hours was made about his famous arm-amputating ordeal. But that's nothing compared to being satirized on The Simpsons' annual "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween spectacular, which aired last night...

By Michael Roberts

October 31, 2011

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Colorado's own Aron Ralston may have thought he'd received the ultimate tribute when the movie 127 Hours was made about his famous arm-amputating ordeal.

But that's nothing compared to being satirized on The Simpsons' annual "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween spectacular, which aired last night.

The set-up: Homer gets his arm trapped under a boulder with a bag of what he thinks is Halloween candy just out of reach. So he decides to do what anyone would in that situation -- chew off his limb so he can get his remaining hand on something sugary and delicious. Unfortunately, Homer initially chomps off the wrong arm. But in the end, his surgery-by-mastication is successful, and he reaches the sack -- only to discover that the candy has been removed and replaced with healthy food.

That really is horrifying.

Unfortunately, Fox, in its infinite wisdom, has not yet released the Ralston-oriented clip. But here's another moment from the latest "Treehouse," which splices together The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and Spider-Man. Really.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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